Is StubHub legit? What the UK site is, what it costs and what it covers

Is StubHub legit? Yes. StubHub is a real resale marketplace, and its UK site is run by StubHub International. Sellers set the prices, which may be above face value. Its FanProtect policy promises comparable tickets, a refund or a credit if an order fails. Trustpilot showed 4.1 out of 5 on 27 October 2026.

StubHub is not the first seller of your ticket, so look at the club, venue or Ticketmaster before you pay. To compare resale sites, read the viagogo and Hellotickets guides too.

What is StubHub, and who sells the tickets on it?

StubHub is a website where fans and businesses sell tickets to other fans, and a real company runs it. StubHub did not sell those tickets first. That was the club, venue or ticket company, known as the primary seller. StubHub says it lets fans who cannot use their tickets get back part of what they spent, and lets fans who missed the first sale buy later.

StubHub’s footer says it too: “StubHub is not the ticket seller”, and prices “may be above face value”. Face value means the original price on the ticket. StubHub International’s help pages mention more than 20 countries and over one million tickets on sale.

Who owns StubHub UK, and is it the American StubHub?

StubHub UK is not the American StubHub. stubhub.co.uk belongs to StubHub International, which is owned by Digital Fuel Capital.

StubHub North America runs stubhub.com and stubhub.ca, and it is owned by viagogo. The two businesses work separately.

The split comes from a merger: viagogo bought StubHub in February 2020. The UK’s competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), then stepped in.

The CMA ordered viagogo to sell everything outside North America, so that the two main UK resale sites would stay rivals. That sale was completed on 3 September 2021.

So in the UK, StubHub and viagogo are rivals with separate rules. Is stubhub.ie legit? Yes: it belongs to StubHub International too and carries the same FanProtect policy.

Check your confirmation email to see which business you bought from. Neither can help with the other’s orders.

How does buying on StubHub work?

Buying on StubHub works like any online shop, except that a fan or a business supplies the ticket. Follow these steps in order:

1. Find your event on stubhub.co.uk or in the StubHub app.
2. Read the listing, the seller’s advert. Check the seat or standing area, any restriction, such as an age limit, and the delivery method.
3. Keep your group together. Buy every ticket from one listing. Two separate listings can show the same location and still be apart.
4. Look for “piggyback” seating. It means one seat behind the other, not side by side.
5. Go to checkout. Before you confirm, you see the final amount, how the ticket will reach you and roughly when.
6. Confirm only when you are sure. You cannot cancel once the order is placed.

Not ready to buy? The StubHub app lets you save favourites and set a price alert for an event.

How do StubHub tickets reach you?

StubHub tickets reach you in one of three ways. The listing shows which one, and so does the Orders page in your account.

Using an iPhone? Apple’s hide-my-email option gives your account a privaterelay.apple.id address, and some ticket emails may never arrive there. Switch to a personal address in your profile well before the transfer.

When do StubHub tickets arrive?

StubHub tickets often arrive close to the event, because organisers may release them just a few days or even 24 hours before. Your Orders page shows “Ready for” and a date, which is when the seller expects to have them.

That date can change. If it passes before a sports event, StubHub says to wait until the final 48 hours before the game. For other events, contact StubHub.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Judging the listing price. Only the total at checkout counts.
• Waiting in the wrong app. A mobile transfer lands in the organiser’s app or by email, not in the StubHub app.
• Buying in the away section by accident. Check the section name if you are a home fan.

How much are StubHub’s fees?

StubHub’s fees are not a fixed list. Buyers see the final amount at checkout, and sellers pay a sell fee once their tickets sell. StubHub’s help centre says the sell fee can vary with ticket availability and promotional costs.

StubHub’s help article on fees gives no percentage. So compare the total at checkout with the original seller’s price and with the same seats on other sites. The listing price alone tells you very little.

What does StubHub’s FanProtect policy cover?

StubHub’s FanProtect policy covers tickets that are late, not valid for entry or not what you bought. In those cases StubHub says it will find comparable or better tickets, or offer a refund or a credit for a future order.

StubHub says sellers are not paid until you have attended the event. That gives them a strong reason to deliver the right tickets.

Two words in that promise need care. “Comparable” is StubHub’s own word, and the page does not define it, so ask what you are being offered.

“A refund or a credit” also leaves the choice open. If you will not buy on StubHub again, ask for the refund.

How do you get help with a StubHub order?

If a StubHub order goes wrong, contact StubHub through its help centre straight away. If it happens at the venue, phone from there.

You can phone in English from 7am to 8pm on weekdays and from 10am to 7pm at weekends, London time. At other times, use the online form.

Claiming after the event? StubHub will want proof, such as a signed or stamped letter from the venue or organiser. Photos, videos and emails with the organiser also help.

Are StubHub tickets real?

StubHub tickets are real tickets, and StubHub says it ensures they are genuine. It promises replacements, a refund or a credit if they are not valid. StubHub told the Advertising Standards Authority, the UK’s advertising regulator, that its seller fraud rate was under 0.1%.

To check your own order, compare the event, date, seat area and quantity with your confirmation. Then open Orders and confirm the delivery method.

Is StubHub 100% legit? The company and its rules are real, but no marketplace can promise that every order runs smoothly. That is why the refund rules matter more than the sales pitch.

How do you avoid fake StubHub websites?

To avoid a fake StubHub website, check the web address before you pay. The UK site is stubhub.co.uk and the Irish site is stubhub.ie. Type the address yourself rather than tapping a link in a message or a social media post.

Then stay on the site’s own checkout. The government’s fraud advice says never to leave a site’s payment page to pay by bank transfer or virtual currency. If a “seller” asks you to do that, walk away.

Is StubHub legit for football and concert tickets?

StubHub is legit for football and concert tickets alike: the same marketplace and the same FanProtect policy apply to both. The better question is which route to try first.

• Premier League football, such as Arsenal or Chelsea: try the club first. A club’s ticket exchange is its own service for reselling seats at face value.
• Away fans: an away fans section is the part of a stadium kept for visiting supporters. On StubHub, look for the “Away Fan Section” category.
• Home fans: StubHub advises against the away section unless you support the visiting team.
• Football abroad: read the delivery method before you buy. Some clubs use wallet links, as Real Madrid does.
• Concerts: try Ticketmaster or the venue’s own resale first. On Ticketmaster’s fan resale, nobody can ask more than they paid.
• Sold-out shows and tours: this is where StubHub is most useful, whether you want Ariana Grande or anyone else. The rules do not change with the artist.

Who should use StubHub?

• Best for: a sold-out show or match, when the original seller and its own resale have nothing left.
• First-timers: read the listing slowly, then check the total. Nothing is final until you confirm.
• Families and groups: buy every ticket from one listing, and check any age limit in the notes.
• Travelling from far? Tickets can arrive very close to the event, so make sure your phone and email work on the way.
• Skip it if: you can still buy from the original seller, or you may not be able to go.

What do StubHub reviews say?

StubHub reviews are positive overall but split. On 27 October 2026, Trustpilot, the public review site, showed 4.1 out of 5 from 5,120 reviews. In all, 62% gave five stars and 26% gave one, so most buyers were happy and a large minority were not.

Trustpilot’s AI summary says people find buying easy on a phone or a computer, and they like the support staff. Unhappy buyers mention late ticket links, wrong seat details and poor help with urgent problems close to a show.

StubHub answered 93% of its negative reviews, usually within 48 hours. viagogo, its UK rival, had not replied to any.

What have UK regulators said about StubHub?

UK regulators have pressed StubHub to tell buyers more, which is why its listings now spell out seats, restrictions and who is selling. StubHub first gave formal commitments to the CMA, then the CMA came back with new concerns.

A bigger change is still pending. On 19 November 2025 the government said it would limit resale prices to the original cost, and limit the service fees that resale sites charge.

A draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill followed in the King’s Speech on 13 May 2026. By 10 August 2026 that draft was still on its way, according to the government. Until a law passes, StubHub sellers set their own prices.

Is StubHub as trustworthy as Ticketmaster?

StubHub and Ticketmaster are both real companies, but they do different jobs. Ticketmaster’s main job is selling new tickets at the original price, on behalf of organisers. StubHub is an open marketplace, where the choice is wider and no limit applies to the price.

So buy from Ticketmaster while it has seats. Turn to StubHub when both its sale and its resale are empty.

How does StubHub compare with viagogo and other resale sites?

StubHub, viagogo and Hellotickets are all resale marketplaces, and none has the lowest price on every event, because sellers set the prices. Check what the same seats cost in total on each one.

Is StubHub legit for selling tickets?

StubHub is legit for selling tickets too. Listing is free, you set your price and can change it until the tickets sell, and StubHub handles the contact with the buyer.

1. List your tickets for free on stubhub.co.uk or in the app.
2. Set your price, and change it at any time before they sell.
3. Deliver on time, exactly as described in your listing.
4. Get paid after the event. StubHub takes its sell fee once the tickets sell.

StubHub says that if you deliver on time and as described, the sell fee is the only charge you will face.

What to do now (as of 31 October 2026)

As of 31 October 2026, the resale price cap is still not law, so sellers on StubHub set their own prices. That makes comparing the most useful thing you can do.

1. Look at the original seller first, then its own resale.
2. If that is empty, compare final totals on StubHub and on rival sites. SeatPick shows StubHub’s listings next to other resellers’.
3. Read the refund rules of the site you choose. Each site publishes its own.
4. Check your email address in your StubHub profile before any transfer.